In recent years, all sorts of information have been computerized along with the evolution of the Internet, and it has become common, for example, to view electronic books, various types of computerized information, etc. via portable terminals such as electronic book players and smartphones.
A portable terminal such as an electronic book player or a smartphone may be placed on a table for use, but may also be often used, for example, by a user lying in a comfortable position.
In such a case as that shown in FIG. 21 where a portable terminal 90 such as an electronic book player or a smartphone is used by a user lying in a comfortable position, the user finds himself/herself having to hold the portable terminal 90 with one hand. Moreover, in performing a predetermined input operation on the portable terminal 90, the user needs to move it closer to him/her and perform the input operation with the other hand.
This has caused such inconveniences to the user 91 that the product weight of the portable terminal 90 makes the hands of the user 91 tired and that the user 91 needs to move the portable terminal 90 closer to him/her in performing an input operation.
Under such circumstances, attention has been paid to such a head-mounted display as that described in Patent Literature 1 which includes hand position and motion detecting means.
FIG. 22 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a head-mounted display described in Patent Document 1 which includes hand position and motion detecting means.
As shown in FIG. 22, the head-mounted display 100 includes a head-mounted section 110, an image generating section 120, imaging devices 131 and 132, and a control section 140.
The head-mounted section 110 is in the shape of an eyeglass frame and can therefore be mounted on the head of a user.
The image generating section 120, attached to a front edge of the head-mounted section 110, generates an image and allows the user to view the image.
Moreover, the imaging devices 131 and 132, each constituted by an image sensor, an imaging optical system, or the like, are attached to front parts of the head-mounted section 110 at a certain distance from each other.
The control section 140, connected to the image generating section 120 and the imaging devices 131 and 132, controls the head-mounted display 100.
According to this configuration, the image generating section 120 generates a plurality of virtual panel images that appear to be put on top of one another in a depth direction (i.e., in a direction away from this side along the line of sight of the user, and in a case where a hand (finger) 150 of the user stays at a virtual panel for a certain period of time or longer, a command corresponding to the virtual panel is executed.
That is, by detecting the in-depth coordinates of the hand (finger) 150 of the user from images of the hand (finger) 150 of the user as obtained from the left and right imaging devices 131 and 132, the control section 140 determines whether or not the hand (finger) 150 of the user has stayed at a virtual panel for a certain period of time or longer.
Such a configuration makes it possible to achieve a device that makes it possible to both view an image of predetermined information and perform an input operation without holding a portable terminal in hand.
Further, Patent Literature 1 discloses a configuration in which a sensor 160 that detects a motion of a hand of a user (e.g., bending of a finger) is attached to the hand (finger) 150 of the user.
This configuration makes it possible to achieve a device that performs an input operation by detecting a motion of a hand of a user.
Moreover, Patent Literature 2 describes an optical mapping system that can be used for three-dimensional mapping of an object.
FIG. 23 is a diagram schematically showing the optical mapping system described in Patent Literature 2.
As shown in FIG. 23, the optical mapping system includes: an illuminating unit 212 configured to project a random speckle pattern (desirably a steady pattern) onto an object 213; and an imaging device 214.
The illuminating unit 212 includes a light source unit 212A and a steady random speckle pattern generator 212B. It is desirable that the steady random speckle pattern generator 212B be housed in an optical path of illuminating light from the light source unit 212A and be in close proximity to the light source output.
Meanwhile, the imaging device 214 includes a photodetector 214A (pixel matrix, e.g., a CCD) including an imaging lens 214B, so that reflected light from the object 213 can be detected.
Moreover, there is a control system 216 connected to the output of the imaging device 214, and the control system 216 includes a memory 216A, a processor 216B that processes and analyzes data, and an input/output device 216C (e.g., a data presenting section such as a display device).
The imaging device 214 is configured to generate image data by detecting an optical response (light reflection) in an illuminated region, and the image data represents the object 213 having a projected speckle pattern, and represents a shift in pattern on an image of the object 213 with respect to a reference image of the pattern.
This configuration is described as making it possible to reconstruct a three-dimensional map of the object 213 in real time.